ELRA 1 and 2 completed - what next?

[colesy]

ELRA 1 and 2 successfully completed. There seems to be two options for me now. Join my local society as a provisional member, do my 5 games and complete ELRA 3 or club ref U14 to U16 and get a few games under my belt before signing up with the society. So, what's the sensible option? Jump in at the deep end or ease in gently? I have an open mind at the moment.

 

[OB..]

Definitely join the society. Even if you still choose to do some club reffing for a while, you will benefit from the training on offer, and be able to ask questions of experienced refs.

 

[Adam]

Do both.

 

[dave_clark]

Definitely join the society. Even if you still choose to do some club reffing for a while, you will benefit from the training on offer, and be able to ask questions of experienced refs.

this assumes you can join the society while not reffing through them. although your society may agree to this, others may not (crossref as an example).

 

[colesy]

Thanks for the comments guys. After having a chat with my club's CRefC, who is also in the local RefSoc, I decided to join the society and now have senior appointments from March onwards. In the meantime, I have made myself available to the club where I will ref U13 to U16 as required. Already had some requests come in and I have my first match on Sunday.

I have to say, I think this is the most challenging thing I've done in years and I'm slightly apprehensive, but looking forward to it at the same time. I'm reasonable enough on the LOTG, although I might get caught out by the more obscure stuff, and I'm comfortable with the whole materiality and contextual judgement thing - I suspect positioning will be my major problem but hopefully that will develop with time.

One quick question. Should I mention to the coaches that this is my first match? My home club will know this but the opposition coach will not.

 

[crossref]

tell them after the game!

Good luck on Sunday!

don't worry too much about the Laws now, the obscure scenarios that are such good material for forums like this rarely happen in real life, and when they do no one else knows the right thing either! If you are comfortable with all the regualr laws, and the age-group variations, then you're fine -- The quotidian challenges of reffing in real life aren't really the laws, they are all those things like 'management' 'setting out your stall' 'selling your decision' that the old hands hear keep mentioning - - and keeping a cool head when eight things are happening at once.

there are loads of threads here about useful advice for first game (mine would be pay attention to keeping track of time, its one thing easy to forget when your head is full of a hundred things).

 

[PaulDG]

One quick question. Should I mention to the coaches that this is my first match? My home club will know this but the opposition coach will not.

No.

What will they do differently if they know? They won't try it on less, will they?

 

[Simon Thomas]

well done colesy.

just enjoy yourself and don't worry about about the fine details - as you see on here even very experienced refs get some decisions wrong, many players and coaches have limited law knowledge and heads full of urban myths like 'he's got to let him up".

* apply correct Youth variations if doing U18 and younger matches
* make sure you get the time right, with time off for long injuries, lost ball, etc
* keep the scrums are stable & safe with correct binds
* try to keep players on their feet or rolling away at breakdowns
* offsides - 10m at line-outs with your arm up on caught ball, insist on 5m at scrums and actively police the back foot offsides (also check the backs behind your back !
* do not get engaged in debates with players (and especially coaches) about decisions - "happy to talk later in the clubhouse".

above all smile and show you are enjoying yourself !

 

[Dixie]

Welcome to the gang, colesey. At junior levels, they won't be trying to con you (too much), so no need to alert them to you status - just referee what you see.

Despite your law knowledge, you WILL make mistakes, and be hugely embarrassed about them for years to come. That goes with the territory. Expect that your brain will go into overload as the game moves on while you are still trying to process what happend a few moments ago - that is also very normal. If you feel overwhelmed (also normal) just concentrate on making it safe and calling the easy spots - knock-on, forward pass etc. At junior levels, with any luck only you will know if you are winging it.

Do swot up on in-goal; it's an area that few players are knowledgeable on (so your knowledge from playing days may not help you), and where decisions can be counter-intuitive. Rememebr - focus on WHO TOOK IT IN - not so much on what happened next.

U.13 and U.14 are an unalloyed delight - enjoy the games, enjoy being involved, adn get your fitness and skills up before you take the plunge in March.

Best of luck

 

[OB..]

The biggest problem I see from beginner referees is watching the ball. You need to know where it is, but it is the players who transgress. (It takes a while to adjust, so don't fret.)

 

[Browner]

Thanks for the comments guys. After having a chat with my club's CRefC, who is also in the local RefSoc, I decided to join the society and now have senior appointments from March onwards. In the meantime, I have made myself available to the club where I will ref U13 to U16 as required. Already had some requests come in and I have my first match on Sunday.

I have to say, I think this is the most challenging thing I've done in years and I'm slightly apprehensive, but looking forward to it at the same time. I'm reasonable enough on the LOTG, although I might get caught out by the more obscure stuff, and I'm comfortable with the whole materiality and contextual judgement thing - I suspect positioning will be my major problem but hopefully that will develop with time..

Colesy, how has the last two years been for you?

 

[colesy]

Colesy, how has the last two years been for you?

It's been a good couple of years. Completed my ELRA3 this season with the society after a season and a half as a clubs' association ref. Waiting for the annual regrading to see if I'm moved up to L10 as I've been appointed to more than a few matches at that level this year. My ELRA3 sign off assessment was on an L10 and I was marked as competent at that level, so hopeful. No complaints about the appointments I'm getting, a fair mixture, with the occasional senior colts match on Sundays when I'm available, that I understand are technically L9. Also visited a prison for the first time in my life, to referee a match I hasten to add. Still on the learning curve but the feedback I'm getting from assessments and the more informal watchers is generally positive.

 

[menace]

We'll you got out of gaol alive....so that's a bonus! (Although you're probably still recovering from the beating from prisoner 674636, aka #7)

 

[colesy]

We'll you got out of gaol alive....so that's a bonus! (Although you're probably still recovering from the beating from prisoner 674636, aka #7)

It was a young offenders' institute so the team comprised 18 to 21 year olds - very fast lads but technically not so great as they only have a limited time to learn the game before they are either released or transferred. No discipline problems whatsoever (except for a single YC high tackle) and an exceptionally good captain.

 

[Adam]

We'll you got out of gaol alive....so that's a bonus! (Although you're probably still recovering from the beating from prisoner 674636, aka #7)

I visited a prison earlier this season. And now I'm getting transported to Perth WA at the end of the month!

 

[Antipodean]

Just saw this thread, would I need to do this course if I referee in England, having refereed in Scotland in the past four seasons?

Have just moved out from NE Scotland, presently in Australia visiting family but intending to return to June but have no fixed address as of yet, just staying with wife's relatives in North Yorkshire.

Would dearly love to continue refereeing doing two matches a week, uni matches my speciality, and would consider moving to anywhere in England outside the big cities where I can make a much needed contribution to the local and uni rugby scene in time for next season.

Any advice/tips as to places from youse guys would be much appreciated!

 

[crossref]

Just saw this thread, would I need to do this course if I referee in England, having refereed in Scotland in the past four seasons?

Have just moved out from NE Scotland, presently in Australia visiting family but intending to return to June but have no fixed address as of yet, just staying with wife's relatives in North Yorkshire.

Would dearly love to continue refereeing doing two matches a week, uni matches my speciality, and would consider moving to anywhere in England outside the big cities where I can make a much needed contribution to the local and uni rugby scene in time for next season.

Any advice/tips as to places from youse guys would be much appreciated!

if you have the equivalent scottish qualification then I don't think any society would expect you to redo ELRA 1+2

 

[Simon Thomas]

if you have the equivalent scottish qualification then I don't think any society would expect you to redo ELRA 1+2

It will be up to the Yorkshire Society to make that call, or whatever Society has juristiction where you end up. As Chairman of Grading in Hampshire let me tell you what we would actually do .

if you have reffed for 4 seasons regularly elsewhere, have an official Union grade with supporting assessor reports sent to us, there should be no need to attend ELRA.

We would watch your first match which would be appointed at one level below the declared grade and base next steps on the Match Observer's report. That could be immediate tests at higher levels, or confirmation of grade, or some consolidation / remedial development, or in exceptional circumstances a possible suggestion to attend ELRA.

If you come down Hampshire way let us know on hrurs@yahoo.co.uk . Are you intending to study or work ?

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Bear in mind if you live in North Yorkshire even for a while - moving out of Yorkshire will be traumatic.

If you like your in-laws/can't get a mortgage/can't bear to leave Yorkshire then contact details are here

Good luck wherever you end up.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

It was a young offenders' institute so the team comprised 18 to 21 year olds - very fast lads but technically not so great as they only have a limited time to learn the game before they are either released or transferred. No discipline problems whatsoever (except for a single YC high tackle) and an exceptionally good captain.

Law 22- In-Gaol.